


The Scrapbook

by Skavvie



Series: Corruption and Redemption [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fluff and Angst, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-24
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 14:19:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 22,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10992669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skavvie/pseuds/Skavvie
Summary: A series of one shots, generally set in third person, set in the world of my main story Corruption and Redemption.  It's a modern AU where the gems are human and most of them are teenage delinquents.





	1. Peridot Meets Amethyst

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure how often I'm going to update this but I wanted to show the world from multiple views instead of just one. Hopefully it will shed some light on things hinted at or mentioned in passing in the main fic.

"Blue hair, purple hair, a bad bleach job, they could have at least tried fitting in. It's like they want us all to know their societal defects", Peridot thought to herself as she watched the new students approach the bus stop. Two of them, the tallest of the group, looked like they spent their free time beating up kids for their lunch money. Loath as she was to admit it blue did look good on the delinquent who wore it, were it not for the girl's deep seated scowl one might even call her pretty. The shortest one was riding on the purple haired girl's shoulders and shouting her allegiance to the Nords. "Stupid clod", Peridot scoffed under her breath while playing on her phone, "Everyone knows true greatness lies with the Imperials. Sure they attempt to execute you in the game's prologue but at least they show gratitude if you ally with them. All the Nords do is throw you a token title and a mouthy servant to carry your stuff around." 

The green eyed girl paused in her musings when she felt a tingle running down her spine. Looking up she found one of the immoral delinquents watching her from the back of the group. This one was taller than the two making noise but not as large as the pair with the bleached hair. In the stark yellow light of the streetlamp the eyes staring at her were a strange mixture of blue, green, and yellow. Her hair was a normal color, rusty red, compared to her compatriots dyed dos. While she wasn't being openly hostile it was clear from her scowl that this one wasn't looking to make friends. Of the six of them it appeared that only those near the five foot mark wanted anything to do with anyone. The one with purple in her hair kept trying to get Red and Blue to join in whatever she was doing. When that didn't work she moved on to the tall thugs; Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb also didn't want to play. 

Peridot's observation of their curious social dynamics was interrupted by the arrival of their bus. "Everburn, Diamond seat sixteen R", The rather bored sounding bus driver announced when they stepped on. Well so much for Peridot's hope that she would finally be gifted a seat to herself. Red hair didn't seem too happy about the arrangement either judging by the way she was glaring. Long shadows cast by the bus' overhead lights accentuated the dark circles under her eyes giving her a corpse like appearance. The greasy quality of her skin and oil build up in her hair did nothing to detract from that comparison. Up close it was quite apparent that Red cared very little for her personal hygiene. Her rumpled dirt speckled clothes looked like they had been slept in several times over. Uninterested in any of the conversations going on around her Peridot decided to put her headphones in and crank up the volume. Her seatmate shot her phone a long dirty look before putting in her own earbuds. 

First period found Peridot in English class seated next to the purple haired girl from the bus. The artistically minded student noted that her neighbor had a pleasingly symmetrical face and button nose. That symmetry was partially ruined by rebellious locks of hair covering her right eye. Peridot felt her fingers twitching with the urge to move the offending strands. "Uhh hey", A pleasantly scratchy voice spoke from her right, "You alright over there dude? You're kinda staring and it's getting creepy", Peridot blinked realizing with a jolt that the speaker was none other than the object of her fixation. The girl raised an eyebrow when she saw that she had Peridot's full attention, "What not even going to buy me dinner first? Muito rude home girl", She laughed at the nerd's flustered expression banging her hand on the desk. "You're funny as hell menina; name's Amethyst by the way, didn't I see you at the bus stop today?" 

"Erm yes I believe that we use the same transport vessel. I am seated with one of your compatriots. The sour faced one with the strange vision spheres and disdain for cleansing products. If I'm not mistaken you and the blue haired one are seated across the aisle from us. I'm Peridot by the way", She held out her hand towards the other girl expectantly. Amethyst blinked at it for a few seconds before awkwardly shaking it with her own. "Your group's arrival has caused a great deal of the people around town concern. There are more than a few parents who have expressed displeasure at the school board's decision to allow your attendance." She knew she was rambling but once she got on a tangent like this there was very little she could do to stop it. For the most part Amethyst took Peridot's word salad in stride letting her say her piece before she responded. 

"Ohhh, yeah that's Wulfenite, I know she looks pissy but she's pretty chill once you get used to her. Careful though louco menina has one hell of a left hook if you go an piss her off. Blue's name is Lapis or, as I like to call her, Lap-I'm-constantly-pissed. The one riding my shoulders this morning was my irmã Ruby, we're not actually related but we might as well be. S'far as you guys bein scared of what we're gonna do come on man loosen up a little. We're just here to have a good time same as anyone else I'm not lookin to get locked up again compreendo?" She was going to say more but the final tardy bell rang signaling the start of class. Peridot turned away from their conversation to the front of the room where the teacher was beginning to speak. Amethyst hadn't acted anything like she was expecting, she was out going and friendly. Perhaps the others would prove themselves to be worth amending her earlier judgments as well. 

Second hour found Peridot on the second floor for science class along with her friend Pearl, Amethyst, Wulfenite, and Lapis. She wasn't sure how she felt about this arrangement; yes it would allow her more opportunity to observe their social dynamic but there were also three of them. Her earlier conversation with Amethyst had been enjoyable enough and the girl had assured her that the others were nice as well. Wulfenite caught her eye as they entered the classroom; she looked moderately cleaner than she had before. When Mr. Baxter set up the seating chart she found herself next to Pearl with Wulfenite directly in front of her. **"Now's my chance"** , She thought before convincing Pearl to get the other girl's attention. Those strange eyes fell on her and she opened her mouth to speak **"Okay here you go. Say something witty, show these clods the benefits of making acquaintance with the great and lovable Peridot.** Her mind blanked and the other girl was still looking at her expectantly, panicking she blurted out the first thing she could think of, "Hey what's with your weird eyes?"


	2. Enter Lapis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Lapis got locked up

Three days, this cough had gone on for three fucking days and Lapis could feel herself wearing down. All she wanted to do was curl up someplace warm and sleep until the end of time. When you're a homeless teenager at the mercy of the city's poorly funded shelter system all day rest wasn't an option. On the nights when beds were actually open the best she could manage were a few naps between bouts of hacking. The pastor who runs the shelter she frequents has been trying to arrange for her to see a doctor but so far he hadn't been able to find one willing to donate their time. As much as she wanted to earn her things instead of stealing them Lapis was out of options. Head down she stepped into the crowded pharmacy hands buried in the pocket of her sweater. Face set in a grim line she found the aisle of cough suppressants and grabbed the strongest one she could see. Charging eighteen dollars for fucking medicine was highway robbery there was no way she could afford that. 

An employee tried to stop her as she dashed for the door; she shoulder checked the teenager into a candy display. She knew there would be consequences for her actions but that was for future Lapis to deal with. Present Lapis just wanted to find a secluded spot where she could medicate in peace. Past experiences with cough syrup taught the blue haired girl that she would become drowsy after taking it. The places where she could sleep and still be safe were limited at the best of times. Her weariness made them even more so because she didn't have the energy to walk very far. Eventually she settled on the locked dumpster area of a nearby Emperor Burger's fast food joint. Silently she thanked every god out there that her nose was clogged beyond the point of being used. Finding the least sticky patch of ground she popped the cap of her prize and took two long gulps. It tasted absolutely horrid and she had to use every ounce of her remaining willpower to keep it down. Mercifully she only needed to wait ten or so minutes before she felt her head starting to go fuzzy with sleep. 

"Aw hell not again", Lapis' nap was interrupted by the irritated shouts of a female fast food employee. "Someone call Jake out here we've got another fucking bum sleeping by the trash. Just call the cops then if you can't find him I'm not dealing with this shit again." Lapis groaned trying to focus on the blurred figure looming over her and scowling. It was a girl of about her height with bright blonde hair wearing an Emperor Burger uniform. Next to her was an industrial sized trash barrel on wheels that she had been attempting to bring to the dumpster. "Ugh get the fuck up before I call the cops", The young blonde woman snapped. "I don't get paid enough to deal with fucking junkies getting stoned when I try to throw shit out." Disoriented from her sudden wake up call Lapis stumbled to her feet and right into the employee. "Fuck get off me", The girl shoved as hard as she could sending the under weight teen into the fence hard. 

"Fuck you bitch", Lapis snapped pushing herself off the fence so she was in the other girl's face, "Who the fuck do you think you are?" All her life she had been forced to repress her emotions for the sake of public appearance. Anger was the first thing she had felt in a long time and it rolled over her like a wave coming to shore. Deceptively strong arms shoved the blonde backwards into the large plastic trashcan she was wheeling. "You think you can just treat people like shit", She kicked the downed blonde in the ribs, "Well do you? Answer me cunt", She delivered a few more kicks before her ears registered the distant wailing of police sirens. She was breathing hard leading to another nasty coughing fit; the sirens were getting closer. Running was a shitty option when her lungs were throwing a fit but she still tried. To her credit she made it a few blocks before she was summarily tackled and arrested. 

Theft, loitering, resisting arrest, verbal assault, truancy, and two counts of aggravated assault. Her year and a half of living on the street was officially over all thanks to some cough syrup. Medicine was her undoing not the booze, not when she sold her body for a hot meal, not breaking into cars for anything she could pawn. All and all Lapis felt most of those charges were overkill but at least she could get medical care now. Good thing too because what she thought was a persistent cough turned out to be bronchial pneumonia. It took far longer than it should have for her to be considered well enough to stand trial. When she did go before a judge her parents were there in the front row demanding she be given the harshest possible sentence. Thankfully her state appointed attorney was fairly competent; the truancy and loitering charges were dropped and the aggravated assault was lowered to regular assault. She was ordered to serve four years in the Keystone State Juvenile Correction Facility.


	3. Wolf's Den

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Wulfenite meet

Surprisingly soft spoken, that was Rose Quartz's first impression of the teenager who sat across from her in what the detention center called its Interview Room. It was an unexpected thought given that the girl was handcuffed to her chair and covered in bruises. The room's fluorescent white lights highlighted every discolored patch of skin on her face. Her somewhat hooked nose was twisted slightly to the left thanks to a break that never healed correctly. Thin lips were cocked to the side in the ghost of a smirk which appeared to be her default expression. Ginger hair hung down over her nose in a greasy mat that looked like it hadn't seen shampoo in a while. Based on the scent of sweat and stale blood hanging around Rose was willing to bet the lack of cleanliness wasn't limited to the scalp. According to the guard that had escorted Rose to her current destination inmate Everburn had been involved in a brawl that afternoon. Off color eyes that were a strange mixture of green, blue, and yellow watched the pink haired woman across from her with rapt attention. 

"Much as I like gettin the chance to talk about the weather I don't think they'd let you drag me in here for that. One of the suits 'round here mentioned somethin about a farm program you were gonna do." Wulfenite's speech pattern was slow almost slurred in spots that featured soft vowels. Her file mentioned a tendency to stutter when overly emotional so that likely played a factor in her cadence. Her voice was raspy like a chain smoker's or at the very least someone getting over a bad cough. "Gotta say I'm surprised they'd want me for that generally the sentiment I get is I ain't meant for bein near people." The same file that noted her speech issues also mentioned a prominent criminal history. Violence seemed to be a reoccurring theme with drug possession and deceit sprinkled in for variety. Looking at her scuffed up knuckles it was easy for Rose to picture them being used in melee combat. Even as securely restrained as she was the guard monitoring their visit watched Wulfenite's every movement. 

"Yes the corrections department has contacted me about participating in their newest rehabilitation program. The plan is to take a few select offenders who have been incarcerated for two or more years and reintroduce them to society. Along the way you will be taught important life skills to aid you once you are released. Our goal is to make your transition to the outside seamless so you don't fall back to a life of crime." Rose watched the teenager's face as she spoke and could see the mistrust plain as day on her face. It was the same look she had been given by all the other girls she had interviewed over the past month. With there being dozens of potential candidates and only six spots the pink haired woman insisted on being active in the selection process. These strangers were going to be living in her home she wanted to make sure they would fit in. So far she had four of the six beds filled and had been intrigued with Wulfenite even if the project's case manager had written the girl off. 

"Meanin no offense to you Mrs. Universe but that sounds like the biggest load of idealist bullshit I've ever heard. You pencil pushers really think playin outside on some farm is gonna be enough to suddenly turn us into good people? Tell me what they got you guys smokin because I wanna get my hands on it", Wulfenite scoffed. "Life ain't some magic fairy tale where you can say some gibberish and make things act the way you want. Fuckin hippies gonna have us all sit in a circle braidin each other's hair too?" Her face reddened with growing anger and the guard had to bang the metal table in front of her to snap her out of her tirade. She flinched away from the loud noise hard enough that her chair moved with her. "Just so we're clear you do know how I got locked up in here in the first place right? Spoiler alert it weren't from eatin all the marshmallows at the church picnic." The bitterness in her tone was so thick it hung in the air like acrid smoke. 

"I assure you that I am well aware of your crimes Wulfenite", Rose looked the disillusioned teen right in the eyes. "On paper you are the last person I would want anywhere near my son however you're more than that. You have a lot of untapped potential that I want to help you realize", Wulfenite scoffed at that. "If you don't want to participate just say so but you'll be turning down a once in a lifetime opportunity. Look I know you've been let down a lot in your life and asking you to trust me is a tall order. I want to help, I swear that I have nothing but the best interest of you and the others in mind. So", She held out one of her large pale hands, "Can you find it in your heart to trust me?"

"I still think you're an idealist", Wulfenite laughed again much more genuine this time. "In fact if all of us manage to go a year without killin each other it'll be a fuckin miracle. Anythin's better than here though", In lieu of a hand she leaned her head forward to barely brush the adult's fingertips. Both of her hands were cuffed behind her still so she couldn't give a shake if she wanted to. "Call me Wulfie by the way, the damn fools who named me didn't take into account what a fuckin mouth full it is to say."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got requests? Drop em here


	4. Breakfast Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first teenagers to arrive at the Quartz-Universe household bond over breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Basilstorm

Ruby's leg bounced impatiently as she stared out the window of the unmarked police car she was riding in. Two hours was a long time for her to be still, under the best circumstances, never mind being trapped in a small car. The two officers in the front seat hadn't said anything for a while content to fill the silence with the radio. It went without saying that the short girl in the back seat was losing her mind from boredom. They had left the city behind after the first thirty minutes leaving nothing to look at except fields. She supposed she should be grateful that she didn't get car sick like two of her younger sisters but puking would at least give her something to do. At least the officers had ignored the pencil pusher's suggestion of keeping her in cuffs the whole way. Thinking about that arrogant asshole made her dig her fingers into the giving leather seats. During the interview process he kept droning on about the likely chance that "her type" would end up being repeat offenders. "Racist idiota", she grumbled under her breath, "dude was so white he might as well be a snowflake." 

"Sweet freedom", Ruby cheered when the car door was finally opened and she could escape the confined space. They had pulled up to a sprawling expanse of farmland with a house and barn resting near unplowed fields. Having spent her whole life moving between tiny apartment buildings Ruby had never seen so much open space. The small playground a few blocks from her home was nothing compared to the soft grass here. Laughing like a fool she rolled in the sun warmed grass letting the blades collect on her jean shorts. Errant bits of green scattered among her dark curls and along the front of her black tank top. While she rolled around like a fool one of the officers walked to the front door to get the owner. The other officer remained next to the car on the off chance the teenager tried to escape. Rose Quartz greeted the officers warmly from her spot on the porch and gestured for them all to come inside. 

Ruby followed the large pink haired woman with no small measure of reluctance having finally been able to stretch her legs. Inside the house an intoxicating combination of scents wafted from the kitchen accompanied by sounds of sizzling. Rose chuckled softly at her new guest's reaction, "ah I see that we can skip the tour for now. Amethyst got here a little bit before you did, she's teaching Steven how to make breakfast sandwiches. Steven is my son", she added noticing the confused look she was being given. "Officers would you like to join us for breakfast before getting back on the road?" Ruby left the three of them to their conversation choosing instead to wander towards the heavenly smells. In the kitchen she found a girl just slightly taller than herself on a stool in front of the stove. Her long pale hair was tied away from her face in a messy ponytail that was starting to come loose. Next to her was a little boy completely enraptured by what was going on in the pan. 

"Misto quente", Ruby practically cheered making the two cooks jump, "oh man I haven't had one of those in forever. You are like my hero right now menina seriously there was a time when I would sell my soul for one of these." She looked longingly at the perfectly toasted sandwiches cooking merrily in the pan. Gooey cheese oozed out from between layers of ham like a golden river of ambrosia. Next to the stove were two plates: one had other assembled sandwiches ready for the pan the other had paper towels. For a split second Ruby was transported back to her childhood days of helping her mamãe with breakfast. It was always her job to prep the ingredients while her mother did the cooking. She missed those seemingly carefree days where all she needed to worry about was breakfast. 

"Looks like you'll be getting the first one then", the cook replied flipping the sandwiches onto the plate. "Name's Amethyst by the way", she put two more sandwiches in the pan with a grin. "Glad to see I'm not the only Latina in town, with all these brancos I gotta wonder who's manning 4chan." Both teens shared a hearty laugh while Steven blinked rather confused, "uhh don't ask. Go on little dude eat up before baixinha eats them all", Ruby chose that moment to take a bite of her food. A tiny tear of joy trickled from the corner of her eye and she quickly devoured the rest.


	5. Unbound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sick of being everyone's prisoner

They had forgotten about her again, Malachite was sure of it; her sense of time wasn't the best but the rumbling in her stomach said she had been down here for hours. She had watched the light grow and fade from the tiny window across the room from her tether. Wrapping a rusted dog chain around her chest and securing it to a support beam in the basement had been the normal punishment for as long as she could remember. In her family's eyes it was the only way to control her when she had one of her fits of rage. None of the various herbal or meditative techniques offered up by their guru worked like they were supposed to. The rages had become more frequent after their daughter hit puberty to the point where the community leaders were strongly considering sending them away. Having devoted twenty years of their life to Kindergarten Beta, a holistic healing community, they weren't about to let that happen. Living here had freed them of the vices of drink, drugs, temptation of the flesh, and their own violent compulsions. They were sure with enough effort Malachite would be healed the same way they were; until then they used the chain. 

Hunger made Malachite's stomach ache; the sun had risen four times since she had been down here. Before this the longest she had ever been chained was two days for punching her brother in the balls. She had tried waiting it out like she was supposed to but that only worked if they remembered she was down here. "Hey", she yelled at the top of her lungs with her head tilted upwards, "I'm still down here you assholes. I know you can hear me", she yanked on the chain as hard as she could making it bang loudly. Another day passed with the chained girl growing more desperate for food and water. She had taken to running straight ahead as fast as she could in hopes of snapping one of the rusty links. Blood was soaking into her shirt from the old wounds reopening and the new ones her actions were causing. Each pull made the sharp metal slice deeper into her raw flesh, the pain spurring her on when her worn body wanted to give up. Still there was no indication from above that anyone cared what was happening in the basement. 

At long last the rusted clip gave way and she was hurled forward with her momentum. Bony knees struck rough concrete with enough force to rip open her jeans a good inch. Barefoot, bleeding, and furious she stomped up the rickety wooden stairs to the main house. First stop was the bathroom to take care of her scrapes and hopefully find something to get the rest of the chain off. Too thirsty to think she shoved her face under the running tap in the sink gulping fervently. At that moment the shitty dirt flavored well water she always hated tasted sweeter than her dad's thirty year old scotch. Under the sink she found an old pair of tin snips that made short work of her restraints. Carefully she stripped off the ruined remains of her Mark Krol shirt and the bra underneath. Rubbing alcohol burned like hell fire when she poured it down the front of herself. She knew she probably needed some kind of shot if she didn't want to get an infection but didn't care. All she cared about was finding out why the fuck they left her locked up for four damn days. 

"You fuckers better have a damn good", Malachite cut herself short when she walked into the living room. It was completely empty with a layer of dust that suggested there hadn't been anyone there for a while. All the furniture was in place but there wasn't another person anywhere to be seen. There was no one in the kitchen either, nor were any of the bedrooms occupied. In her twelve years worth of experience Malachite had never seen her home this empty. Normally her mother was home taking care of her three little brothers and two sisters. Sometimes her siblings would have friends over or one of her mother's friends would be there with their kids. Depending on the time of day her older brother might have a few of his friends over. Complete silence was such a foreign concept that the preteen found herself intentionally stomping just to have something to listen to. An angry gurgle from her stomach broke the silence by reminding her that she hadn't eaten in days. 

Thankfully there was still food in the fridge even if it was turning slightly green. She attacked everything within reach caring little for what it was as long as it was edible. Once that basic need had been fulfilled she decided to lay on the couch and relax until someone came home. Day became night with Malachite flitting in and out of consciousness waiting for the door to open. By the time ten o'clock came around she started packing spare clothes into her backpack. At eleven she left the house after recovering her contraband cellphone from her parent's bedroom cabinet. No longer giving a fuck for their rules she ripped the antique door off its hinges. Inside was her phone, some old jewelry, a bunch of paperwork crap she didn't care about, and old photos. Phone in hand she called up her cousin as she walked, explaining the situation. Jasper's parents picked her up an hour later at the bus stop and she never looked back.


	6. Roll for Diplomacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot learns that there are pros and cons to an analytical mind

"Stupid pebble", Peridot muttered under her breath as she walked down the overcrowded hallways. She had just come from her advanced geometry class where she had gotten into a shouting match with the teacher. Apparently correcting the instructor's work while he stepped out of the classroom was considered rude. It wasn't her fault that the withered old fart forgot to carry the negative sign down when he simplified the equation. Leaving it would have led to the whole class getting a flawed education, society as it existed would crumble. No she could not allow that to happen not if she had it in her power to correct the issue before it spread. Her correction made she figured while she was up there she might as well just solve the problem. Doing so would reduce the teacher's needless droning by at least ten minutes and that was good for everyone. Instead of receiving praise for her initiative she was treated to a shrill lecture about respecting her elders. 

Moving bodies jostled her from side to side as she walked adding to her irritation. Everyone was heading toward last period spurred on by the Pavlovian conditioning that was the bell. With her head down looking at her phone she didn't see the person in front of her until it was too late. They connected with a crash that was hard enough to knock the seething blonde flat on her rump. Her glasses flew from her face in a graceful arc landing somewhere on the floor nearby. Books and papers spilled from the unsecured flap of her messenger bag only to be trampled on by the uncaring sea of feet. "Watch where you're going clod", She snapped as she felt blindly around for her glasses. Fingers brushed the hard plastic reassuringly fast; these were a new pair after all and her mother would kill her if they broke. The blurred shapes in front of her immediately cleared revealing the source of Peridot's current plight. 

Tall, blonde, and built like a block Topaz looked down at her with her usual expressionless sneer. On her own the senior wasn't much of a threat; she was big but relatively passive. The real issue was standing just to the left of the commotion brushing dust from her dark blue skirt. A lighter blue vest, complete with matching tie, covered an ironed white top. "Well well if it isn't Peri-snot", The short blue haired girl mocked in her fake British accent. "You really should be more careful someone might get hurt isn't that right Topaz?" Responding to the implied command Topaz's large hand wrapped around Peridot's arm hauling the girl to her feet. Aquamarine continued to smooth the wrinkles in her clothing that the collision had caused. "Ah yes that's much better", An evil grin spread across her round Cherub like face. She started gathering up the wayward papers into a neat pile, "Looks like you were headed to your locker. Here let us help you", She turned crisply on her heel and started for blue hallway. 

"Erm no that's quite unnecessary", Peridot squirmed in the larger girl's grasp attempting to free herself. "I assure you I'm able to get there just fine without your assistance; not that I don't appreciate it." She hastily added that last part when Topaz's vapid brown eyes glared down at her. "Honestly I'd hate for you two to waste your time on something this beneath you." Her words fell on deaf ears as they continued down the hall towards the lockers. This was not her first run in with the pair; she was one of their favorite targets. Students went about their business ignoring the interaction between the three. Everyone knew that you didn't get in Aquamarine's way when she wanted something not unless you wanted to be hurt too. 

"Oh no I insist", Aquamarine chimed in still smiling brightly, "It's the least a clod like me can do. In fact I think I'd like to get your input on a little experiment Topaz and I are running. We're trying to see if we can guess the volume of our fellow students based on their size. For instance I hypothesize that your volume is roughly equal to the space in an average locker." They stopped in front of one of the many aluminium lockers dotting the hallway. Unlike those on either side this one was decorated with multiple dents approximately the diameter of a face. "Open it Topaz let's put the nerd queen on her throne", the hand not restraining Peridot pulled up on the metal tab. Deep down the nerd cursed her desire for efficiency that compelled her to keep the combination locked in. The door swung smoothly open exposing a perfectly clean space with books stacked neatly in the top compartment. Bits of crumpled blueprint paper dotted the floor accompanied by a lone can of sugar free Monster. Peridot was shoved inside without preamble just as the tardy bell sang the shrill sound of its people. 

Metallic clicking from the lock's tumbler filled the confined space followed be retreating footsteps. Contorted as she was the trapped nerd still had enough space to move her hands. "Alright stay calm", She dug through the pocket of her jeans and yanked out her phone. Agile fingers hastily swiped across the screen in the pattern required to unlock the device. The first thing she saw was a text message from her mother saying that she would be extending her trip to Keystone. Nothing out of the ordinary there given that Giallo had warned her of that possibility. Her heart sank when she went to dial the school's office for help and saw she had no bars. "Fuuuuck", She groaned desperately, "Of course I have no fucking signal in this clodding thing." Her next step was locating the small tool bag she kept around for just these types of emergencies; it wasn't there. Lashing out in frustration she kicked the metal door of her prison hard enough to hurt her foot. 

When the final bell rang for the day she began yelling at the top of her lungs to get someone's attention. No one responded to her pleas save for a select few who looked in through the pointless slits and laughed at her. Peridot's heart started to sink when the footfalls became fewer and fewer in number. Resigned to her fate she once again pulled out her phone selecting the voice recording app. Though she preferred her hand held tape recorder for audio logs the phone would work in a pinch. She could always record the entry again when she got home if she found it unsatisfactory. Clearing her throat she began, "Log date 9-23-16, it seems that once again the cool kids have seen fit to imprison me in my assigned storage cubical. As I am currently without any of my usual tools and it is after hours it appears I have no choice but to wait until the janitors come to do their nightly cleaning. Note to self retrieve equipment bag from electronics classroom as soon as possible to avoid being stranded in the future, Peridot out."

Just as she finished speaking the locker rang with the sound of someone tapping on it. Two turquoise eyes. flecked liberally with yellow, contemplated her from above. Of all the people to notice her predicament of course it would be one of the delinquents. She braced herself for the oncoming ridicule she was certain would spew forth at any moment. A crackling voice spoke with barely concealed irritation, "You've got about thirty seconds to give me your combination before I change my mind and leave you here." Well it wasn't exactly friendly but behind the hostility was a way out of her situation. She rattled off the combination from memory body itching to be freed from its confines. Hitting the ground with a thump she immediately began spouting thanks before being cut off, "I'm not your friend nerd and you made me miss my fuckin bus. You're lucky Rose had to stay after for some kind of meetin", The girl beckoned her forward. "C'mon, I gotta grab my shit." It took a minute for Peri's legs to get over their pins and needles. 

Trying her best to remember Amethyst's advice about Wulfenite not being as harsh as she seemed Peridot followed. Anxious eyes darted around looking for anything she could use to help her improve her standings. _"Think of it like an RPG", Her inner voice supplied, "You just need to work your diplomacy skills."_ Too bad she always played a mage whose motto was "light everything on fire then talk". They were walking up the stairs towards the Creative Writing and Freshman English classroom. Peering through the door she saw Miss Quartz engaged in conversation with a student. Though she was perplexed about their reasons for being there she chose not to question it. "Excellent we're not too late", Wulfenite merely grunted in response and leaned on the wall. _"Okay that was a bust but don't give up she's still here and appears to be securing us transportation. Look for something else that may assist you in bridging the gap"_ , Her eyes found the math textbook in her fellow's hand. A plan materialized in her head that was so brilliant that she couldn't help but grin. "By the way I couldn't help but notice your math textbook while you were collecting your things. Judging by the fact that you are in a remedial course I feel I am safe in assuming the subject is not your strongest."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always guys feel free to drop me some requests


	7. Steven's Contemplations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven ponders about the weird habits these newcomers have

Each of the girl's had their own quirks, it was a fact Rose had been picking up on ever since they arrived. None of them liked being surprised and often reacted violently when startled. Simple requests could turn into fights for dominance depending on the words used. Rose found it rather interesting that despite their different backgrounds they had been conditioned to react the same way. Commonalities aside the six of them were still individuals with their own unique habits. Lapis, for example, avoided wearing shoes unless someone forced her to put them on. Amethyst habitually hid one half of her face behind a carefully crafted curtain of hair. Jasper, when confronted with something different, would immediately dismiss things as "cheap tricks". Ruby fidgeted with her red headband whenever she got nervous or frustrated about something. Malachite talked to herself when she thought she was alone or no one was listening. Wulfenite hated having her back exposed to the point of sitting against a wall so no one could sneak up on her.

Steven was a very smart boy, he was consistently one of the top performers in his class, but he was having trouble understanding boundaries. Hugs were one of his favorite ways to express himself but the girls didn't seem to enjoy them at all. Jasper had yelled at him when he tried giving her a "good job" hug for doing the dishes. She was acting really angry about the whole thing even using words that mom said were bad. Wulfenite pushed him away when he hugged her good morning and told him not to touch her. That hurt really bad because before that they had been having a nice talk about cereal. Lapis was usually okay with hugs unless his fingers brushed up against a weird scar she had on her back. If that happened she would jerk away like she'd been burned and go sit by the lake. Ruby and Amethyst like roughhousing with him and each other; they were confused by the hugs but never told him to stop. They rarely reciprocated the gesture choosing instead to show their affection with hair ruffles or fist bumps. 

For being so much older than him these new people didn't seem to know how to do normal things. Amethyst had been amazed when he taught her how to use the washing machine after they had played in puddles after a rainstorm. His mom was busy with something for work so he decided to deal with the laundry himself. There were already a few things in the dirty clothes hamper anyway so he figured he might as well take care of it. With Amethyst watching intently he loaded their small pile of dirty clothes into the washer. "So wait", She asked as she added her own things in, "You just hit the button and it makes them clean?" She looked skeptical, like she thought the little boy was pulling some kind of prank.

"Yeah", Steven replied as he carefully measured out a cap full of detergent to add in. A bright citrus scent filled the air after he dumped the soap in with the clothes. Confusion made his chubby cheeks scrunch up, "I thought everyone knew that. There's no way you've never done this, you're just pulling some kind of prank." He closed the metal lid with a firm thump and turned to face the Latina teen. "Stop messing with me it's not funny", He knew that she loved pranks but couldn't possibly see the humor in this. Normally she would manage a poker face for all of thirty seconds before giving in to laughter. 

"I'm not messing with you irmão, we almost never had running water at the house when I was a kid. Minha mãe washed our clothes in this big ass tub out back after filling it up with the neighbor's hose. Either that or papai would have us stand outside in the rain to clean off. One time he tried having us sit in the back of the truck and driving through one of those automatic car wash things. It woulda worked if my stupid irmã hadn't jumped up to yell hi at the guy running the thing." Amethyst was still looking at the washing machine with a mixture of appreciation and resentment. She knew she shouldn't be too salty that she had been washing clothes by hand her whole life. After all carrying the piles of sopping clothes was what made her have such high endurance.

Another time he walked into the kitchen to grab a snack and found Wulfenite wrapping her thumb with duct tape. It didn't take a seasoned detective to deduce what happened based on the knife on the floor and half cut orange on the counter. What Steven didn't understand is why she was wrapping her hand with tape instead of getting a band aid. He was also confused about why she was acting so calm considering she was bleeding. If it were him that was hurt he would have been crying and asking his mom to use her magic kisses to make it hurt less. When he asked the lanky girl replied, "Ain't no need for it", With a roll of her shoulders. "Tape works fine and won't draw as much attention", She finished wrapping the shallow wound. "You're lookin at me like I'm crazy or doin somethin weird, wanna tell me what's up?" Of all the people that his mom brought in Steven had the hardest time empathizing with Wulfenite. Her way of thinking was so weirdly structured that he struggled to see things from her point of view. The fact that she tended to remain non verbal if given the chance didn't help matters. While he thought over how to respond she began gathering up paper towels to clean the blood off the counter. 

Shrugging off or drawing attention away from injuries was a habit both he and his mother noticed. Wulfenite rarely said anything about her knee even when it it refused to hold weight. Amethyst showed him how to pop a finger back into socket after she tripped over a rock outside. Malachite acted like she hardly noticed when Lapis accidentally spilled a cup of coffee down her leg. "Pain's just parta life man", Amethyst explained when he asked her about it one day. The two of them had been watching a soccer match and she was laughing at one of the players getting kicked. "Can't say about everyone but I know I've dealt with far worse than a hot drink or twisted finger. If you ask me you're lucky, you got folks here who love you enough to not want you to hurt. Jas or Wulfie'll say they don't really love you because pain is a sign of love but that shit's messed up." Now that gave him something to think about, why would the people who loved him want to see him hurt?


	8. Rising Tides

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malachite and Jasper meet the others

Jasper hated long car rides, hated feeling trapped in a little metal box on wheels completely at the mercy of the driver. A bad accident when she was a kid left her terrified of long road trips or even general traffic. Her class was taking a field trip to the state capital when an eighteen wheeler crossed into their lane. The big truck's nose hit the back end of their school bus hard enough to send them veering off the road. They went skidding into the gravel by the side of the highway before ending up nose first in a ditch. No one on the bus had been seriously injured though a few kids did end up with bruises. The same could not be said for the truck driver; he had passed out at the wheel and ended up rolling over. Three lanes had to be shut down because of the way the truck was spread out in the road. The driver's body flew through the front windshield; paramedics on the scene declared him dead on impact. 

Next to her Malachite was leaning against the window eyes closed and cheek resting in her palm. Bleached hair hung over the teen's angular face hiding her eyes from the sunlight coming in. She could have easily passed for being asleep to anyone who didn't know her as well as Jasper did. There was a tension between her bony shoulders that disappeared when she was asleep. Although she was making an effort to keep her breathing slow and deep there was still a stutter on the inhale. Feigning sleep was a relatively straightforward way to hide from unwanted conversation. Jasper could respect that her cousin didn't want to talk but damn if she wasn't bored out of her mind. The trip to this rehab thing was taking forever and she wanted out of the fucking car. Her long muscular legs were cramped from the confined space; the cop in front of her was tall so the seat was far back.

Irritation made her already deep voice a few octaves lower when she asked, "Are we almost there?" Large hands tugged at the shoulder strap of her seat belt pulling the synthetic material away from her neck. Its edge had been digging into her skin for the majority of the ride leaving behind an irritated welt. Thus far this trip's only saving grace was the fact that she was allowed to wear regular clothes. Her cotton blend tank top would at least be able to let sweat evaporate right. Had she been stuck wearing one of those government issue polyester nightmares she'd have been in swamp ass city by now. White patches of skin curled around her biceps like the camouflage stripes of a tiger. Similar discolored patches decorated her face near the eyes, her neck, hands, and up her right leg. Vitiligo the doctors called it; a disease where the cells that produce skin pigment die. No known cure existed, not that her parents hadn't spent thousands on quack doctors over the years anyway. 

"It's the next exit down", The officer in the passenger seat said after checking his phone. "You can already smell the ocean on the wind", He added with fondness in his voice. "When we were kids my brothers and I used to spend every summer out here. My folks would rent a house along the beach heh I bet this place is gonna feel like heaven after juvie." Jasper didn't say anything in response to that, honestly what could she say? She had no fond memories of family vacations that she could add nor did she feel like opening up to a stranger. Instead she watched out the window studying the path from the highway to her new home. If there was one thing she took to heart from her days of knocking over convenience stores it was always have an exit strategy. Any major decisions she made weren't finalized unless she had at least two backup plans. Granted getting selected for this rehabilitation thing wasn't exactly her choice but why waste a good strategy? 

The unmarked police vehicle pulled off the main road traveling down a winding side street. Jasper could indeed smell the salty tang of the nearby ocean thanks to the lowered driver's side window. She already liked that she could breathe here without choking on exhaust fumes from passing traffic. No way this little two lane country road could hold the kind of congestion she was used to seeing. Outside was nothing but empty fields with trees off in the distance a ways. If Jasper was being honest with herself she found the amount of open space disconcerting. In the city there were always places to hide if she needed to disappear for a while. Here her sheer size made her stand out like a sore thumb, even laying down she'd be easy to spot. Growing up in a proud military family she was taught from an early age to take stuff like terrain into consideration. Never one to show weakness she plastered on a cocky grin when they pulled up a gravel driveway. The house was a modest one story with fading white paint and natural colored wood trim. A porch of the same color wrapped around the front of the house with a table and chair set up. 

Roughly thirty or so yards away stood an old barn that had clearly undergone recent repairs. Fresh boards contrasted sharply with their faded neighbors in a way that was almost offensive to the eyes. More work was plainly needed to make the space livable though admittedly she had been expecting worse. Building materials were stacked near the side of the barn showing that whoever was working on it intended to finish. The police officers opened the car doors for her and Malachite and led them to the main house. One of the officers popped the trunk so the teens could grab the backpacks that held all their worldly belongings. At the door was a woman easily as large as Jasper, with pink hair, and a kind smile. "Hello there you two glad you made it", She stepped back so they could come inside the house. "Make yourself comfortable while the officers and I deal with the paperwork real quick." Milling around the living room where three girls Jasper had never seen before and a flash of blue that made bile rise in her throat. 

"You", Malachite growled stepping in front of the stunned Jasper, "The fuck are you doin here Lazuli? Ain't seen you since you were face deep in my bed sheets beggin for me to stop." She glared down at the blue haired girl across from her, "Still wearin that fuckin skirt." Lapis returned the glare with equal ferocity and opened her mouth to say something. Before she could retort the tall pink haired woman returned with a smiling little boy behind her. Jasper's big hand circled Malachite's arm squeezing a little to get her cousin's attention. A subtle shake of her head was all that she needed to convey the message of letting the matter drop. The lingering animosity between the three of them could be dealt with later. For the time being they needed to play nice with the adults; no sense in getting thrown back the first day. 

While Jasper's eyes remained fixed on Lapis Malachite allowed her gaze to wander taking in the others around her. Two of the others were short as hell with brown skin tones the third was taller than average. Yellowish green eyes narrowed when their owner noticed she was being watched. There was something in her posture, in the way she was pretending to be relaxed while still watching for threats. It was the same thing Malachite herself was doing; the actions of a predator looking for prey. Mutual dislike seemed to flow between them strong enough for the girl to push herself off the wall she was leaning on. Scuffed boots crossed the room with a light limp until the girl was glaring up at Malachite, "You gotta stairin problem? Iffin so I reckon you ought to get it checked out", Her voice was the unpleasant gravel of a two packs a day chain smoker. This one didn't seem to possess the hard on for pleasing authority that kept Jasper's tongue in check. Good, that meant she would have someone on her playing field instead of some bitch that would use rules against her. 

Two predators could not share the same space without one of them submitting to the other. There was no such thing as co-alphas after all there was only an alpha and the betas. Red looked like she was having the exact same thoughts because her shoulders squared resolutely. Sadly, or perhaps fortunately depending on who was asked, one of the shorter girls stepped between the two of them. Red didn't look pleased but shoved past the two of them to follow the others outside. Rose was saying something about them seeing where they would be staying and choosing their beds. **"Later"** , Malachite promised herself returning Red's glare with a smirk.


	9. H2 Oh fucking no

Lapis could see the bruises, could see the pain written in every line of the other girl's body. It sent a thrill of pleasure down her spine knowing she was the cause of the discolorations. Juvenile detention was proving to be an excellent source of people for her to take her pent up frustrations out on. The guards almost never bothered breaking up fights and her cellmates would never go for help for fear of being seen as weak. She was quickly gaining a reputation around the cell blocks as someone to be avoided. Those attempting to garner favor with the blue haired devil would leave trinkets near her door. They were small things: treats from a parental care package, Ramen packets from canteen, and even the odd cigarette. All the fear and attention she was getting was like a high that she couldn't get enough of. It was getting to the point where she needed to do more and more violent things to feel the same rush. That was the state Jasper found her in and together they were like water and potassium. Jasper fed every violent urge she had until she was little more than a physical manifestation of hatred.

Things had started out simple enough; they would band together so they were stronger than anyone else. Having the blue devil on her side meant that Jasper was able to muscle her way into illicit activities without fearing repercussion. Now that she had someone to watch her back during fights she no longer feared getting outnumbered. When Malachite got sent to the same facility the three of them quickly rose to the top of the proverbial food chain. They got first pick of any contraband goods that got smuggled in as well as a cut of the profits. Thanks to a few connections on the outside Malachite was able to get a fairly steady supply of marijuana and pain pills. This almost doubled their profit margin even if it did put them on a few of the guard's radar. Cash bribes only worked if the officer in question was willing to accept them. A one year sentence for theft was extended to four when Lapis was caught with dope in her cell. Some fast talking got her paired up with the Barrows cousins; she claimed it was loneliness that drove her to deal. 

Trapped in a cell together for hours at a time the two of them end up fighting, fucking, or both. Days without bruises were so few and far between that Lapis forgot what it felt like to not hurt. Jasper had scars along the tops of her thighs from Lapis tying her up with their sheets. Abuse was dolled out like playing cards, sometimes in singles other times in pairs. They each had their preferred methods with Jasper favoring physical violence while Lapis leaned more towards emotional manipulation. That's not to say that Lapis didn't pack a nasty right hook or that Jasper couldn't deliver a tongue lashing worthy of Shakespeare. Even the simplest things devolved into a battle for dominance from eating breakfast to falling asleep. Compromise wouldn't even be considered because bending was a sign of weakness that the other would exploit. By the end of their first three months together they both hated and depended on each other. Constant cycles of abuse and reconciliation provided a constant that their lives had been lacking.

While the guards seemed for the most part content to let the couple destroy each other Malachite was fed up. Jasper was rapidly losing herself to the pitiless black void that was Lapis Lazuli. It was like they were becoming one entity; a singular fucked up abomination that needed to be split apart. Sure the money was good but it wasn't worth losing the one person who ever gave a damn about her. Malachite didn't care about much but she sure as fuck wasn't going to let some brat steal her cousin. She forced herself on Lapis one evening when Jasper was in solitary then told the older girl that it was the other way around. This led to her and Lapis getting into a fight so violent that security had to come in with riot gear. 

Flying in the face of how she would act years later in a tiny tourist trap called Beach City it was actually Jasper who got them separated. Nose broken and mentally shattered she fell to her knees begging Lapis to let her go. When Lapis refused Jasper and her cousin Malachite attacked her; they ended up beating her so bad she was sent off site to a hospital. She was in a medically induced coma for four days and had to stay for almost a month after. Lapis responded to the plea by snapping all the shower heads in their block's communal bathroom. The resulting chaos and property damage from the flood was enough to get the warden's attention. Solitary confinement was her first punishment as they got the paperwork started on her transfer. Someone had the bright idea to leave her alone with a mirror made of shatter resistant glass. By the time the guards came to get her two weeks later she wasn't speaking to anyone. 

Selective mutisum, a diagnosis given to her by the shrink at her new prison, was a rather common way for people to exert control over their life. Control was her addiction; she knew that though the knowledge wasn't enough to fix it. There was no balance, her existence was nothing except a pattern of going from one extreme to the other. Insomnia morphed into sleeping for days at a time unless a guard forced her to leave her bed. Micromanagement shifted into an utter dependence on the authority figures around her. One week she wouldn't make a peep the next she was screaming at everything around her. It took a lot of self reflection and sleepless nights for her to decide that she needed to change. Bouncing between extremes was only adding to her misery so at the urging of her therapist she started letting go.


	10. Pondering Puma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Purple Puma takes time to reflect on her new housemates

With her first week at the barn drawing to a close Amethyst still wasn't sure how she felt about the other girls. So far the only one who really talked to her was Ruby; the others just kind of did their own thing. She supposed she had an unfair advantage in regards to Ruby since the two of them had cultural things in common. Having the other girl around was a comfort and made it so she didn't feel like a single brown speck in a white sea. Ruby didn't treat the food she cooked like it was poison or could explode if not watched carefully. She didn't act all weirded out when Amethyst got excited about something and forgot her English for a minute. Another thing she appreciated was that, much like herself, Ruby wore her heart on her sleeve. Unlike the others there was no guessing what the other girl was feeling; she showed you. 

Part of Amethyst was convinced that Jasper wasn't completely white but she didn't know for sure. The larger girl was reluctant, bordering on violence, to talk about anything family related unless it was to an adult. Any comments directed at her skin tone were met with swift retribution involving a fist. Wulfenite found that out the hard way on their first night together when she dubbed Jasper "Stripey". Culturally she was just as entitled as the jocks Amethyst remembered from her old school. Every word out of her mouth was either an insult of some sort or a thinly veiled threat. All the hostility that girl carried with her was honestly draining on the Latina who just wanted to relax. Two years of hell in prisão exposed her to enough pissing contests, literally and figuratively, to last a lifetime. None of the others put up with Jasper's shit for very long; when she tried bullying Ruby into doing the dishes she ended up getting doused with soapy water. 

Amethyst's habit of lounging around at every opportunity was surprisingly useful in gaining Lapis' trust. For someone who pretended that they were above everything the blue haired teen was quite jumpy. Since Amethyst had a tendency to find a comfy spot and not move it made her an ideal companion. The pair spent many an afternoon with Amethyst sprawled across the floor playing video games and Lapis on the couch reading. Drawn in by the lack of sudden movement Wulfenite would limp her way inside with a can of cold soda. When the mood struck the redhead would pick up the second controller and join in the Nazi slaying. Amethyst found the quiet more than a little unsettling given that she was used to the barely contained chaos of her family. Extended silence in the Torres household was usually a sign that something was wrong. The last time she had been in a room without anyone talking to her was the night she got arrested. 

They didn't say much to each other at first but in the past week Lapis had been warming up to her purple haired housemate. Common ground was found in their mutual love of unusual hairstyles and color pallets. They swapped tips and tricks from their previous dying experiences and favorite fashion magazines. Neither held much respect for the standards of traditional beauty so that was another thing they shared. Conversations about hair color led to the discovery that Lapis shared the Latina's love of art. Amethyst showed off her pad of sketches one evening after some gentle prompting. In return Lapis brought out her own drawings, the few that had survived Jasper's rampage. Although their styles were vastly different, Lapis liked harsh realism while Amethyst preferred exaggerated features, they still shared meaningful conversation. She decided that she liked the blue haired girl even if she was a moody control freak at times. 

Wulfenite was fucking weird; Amethyst came to that conclusion within five minutes of being alone with the lanky girl. For one thing she completely stank to the point that Rose was threatening to forcibly bathe her. Now Amethyst could appreciate a bit of controlled funk but owning literally one pair of underwear was beyond even her tolerance. Shopping with her did prove amusing when she expressed confusion about the purpose of lacy thongs. Another thing that was creepy about her was the way her eyes tracked anything in the room that moved. She gave off this weird vibe that at any given moment she was calculating how best to hurt those around her. Combining that feeling of foreboding with the fact that she was the only one of them to show up in cuffs it was easy to imagine what she was capable of. Ruby, who transferred in from the same facility, mentioned some rumor about a pagan blood sacrifice. Steven loved her though so Amethyst figured she couldn't be that bad; what little kid wanted to cuddle on an asshole? 

That just left Malachite, the younger of the two Barrows girls and the one person Amethyst was afraid of. Jasper may have been an overcompensating dick and Wulfenite may have been unsettling but Mal was just crazy. The shit she said when she didn't think anyone could hear her was beyond fucked up. More than once Amethyst had woken up in the middle of the night to pee and found Malachite hissing threats at Lapis. From what the purple haired teen had overheard the two of them had a nasty history together. History or not threatening to skin someone alive and dump them in the ocean was a little on the extreme side. Wulfenite seemed to think so as well seeing that the first complete sentence she ever heard the girl say was, "Back the fuck up or I'mma have to step in". Not the most eloquent threat out there but what it lacked in descriptors it made up for in malice. 

The folks running this thing should have probably spent a little longer figuring out how they were going to keep the participants from hurting each other. Generally speaking sticking a bunch of hormone ridden lifers out in the middle of nowhere together was a sure fire way to get someone killed. Yeah they made everyone sign a legally binding contract before releasing them but that hardly seemed like enough. How was a piece of paper full of flowery legal mumbo jumbo supposed to know if someone stepped out of line? None of them had any incentive to act as a snitch, it wasn't worth the risk of retaliation. So unless the arrogant prick who drew the thing up planned on checking on them every day there was no accountability. There weren't even cells on the property to forcibly separate people if they lost their shit. 

Not that Amethyst planned on taking advantage of that; she'd had enough bullshit to last several lifetimes. Nah all she wanted to do was take care of some plants and enjoy the fresh air. Free time was a coveted luxury when you were the oldest of six kids whose parents expected them to help. She planned on doing as little as humanly possible for as long as she could get away with it. Life was too short to waste on screaming about who was going to do the dishes after dinner.


	11. A Pet for Your Tummy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven shares his love of Cookie Cats

Steven sat on one of the lawn chairs set up on his family's wrap around deck kicking his feet idly and watching the clouds float by. On the table a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade collected condensation under the sun's warmth. Next to the glass was an empty plate that once held his lunch, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Normally on a perfect summer day like this one he would be off somewhere having an adventure with his best friend. Alas fate had other plans for Steven Universe; Connie was out of state for a family reunion. A soft rustling of cloth to his right made him glance away from the cloud he had been observing. Malachite was pacing back and forth along part of the gravel driveway looking distressed. She was gesticulating wildly, her face locked in a grimace, as if she was arguing with someone. Concerned Steven abandoned his dishes and strolled across the grass towards her, "Hey are you okay?"

Up close he could hear that she was indeed having an argument but not with anyone he could see. "No she shouldn't be here, we were finally fucking free from her conniving bullshit. She's going to make us her prisoner again", Mal's voice was tight with distress. "We can't let her do this, not when Jasper just started getting her head sorted back out." Bony hands dug into her unkempt hair tangling in the coarser patches near her scalp. Her acid colored eyes didn't seem to register Steven's presence until the little boy was practically on top of her. When she did notice him she let out a small grunt of surprise and halted her movements. "Fuck kid don't you have anything better to do than creep around behind people's backs? Oughta put a bell on you or somethin; like that cat from that story", She bent down to be closer to his eye level. A chilled hand touched his shoulder a few times before she nodded to herself, "Solid. You're definitely not some weird talking dude made out of watermelon, that's cool." 

"Nope no watermelon Stevens here just the regular variety", Steven chuckled awkwardly. Malachite was definitely acting weirder than usual; he wondered if maybe the sun had something to do with it. His dad always warned him not to stay out in the heat for too long or his brain might melt. There was no way the long sleeve shirt and jeans she was wearing weren't making her super hot. The only thing keeping him comfortable outside was the occasional breeze and he was wearing shorts. "We should go inside", He suggested taking her hand in his, "Mom just bought a fresh box of Cookie Cats." Just the name of his favorite treat in the whole world was enough to make him smile. For as long as he could remember the creamy treat, with its crunchy cookie outside and cool inside, was the herald of summertime. Sure some places like Garven's carried them all year but those were usually leftovers from the back stock. Nothing could compare to chomping down on one of those cookie ears and getting a sweet hit of strawberry or vanilla ice cream. 

Malachite followed behind the excited little boy a look of confusion on her face, "The fuck is a Cookie Cat?" She vaguely remembered some stupid rule where she wasn't supposed to swear in front of the kid. It was fucking ridiculous, not that anyone bothered asking her before they set it up. Making certain words forbidden just made saying them all the more enticing didn't they get that? Humans were weak minded creatures designed to give in to the slightest bit of temptation. Hell they had a whole religion based around some naked chick letting a snake talk her into eating fruit. At least that's what she thought the dude was droning on about whenever her aunt dragged them to church. She never liked that dude; he was always bitching about people doing normal shit. 

"Oh em gee you don't know what Cookie Cats are", Steven gasped sounding absolutely scandalized. "They're only the single greatest food that's ever been invented", He started pulling her into the house faster. "Lately this other company came out with something called Lion Lickers that look cool but are really gross. Seriously whoever thought mixing banana, toffee, and grape ice cream together needs to have their taste buds revoked." Wulfenite was in the kitchen chewing contentedly on one of the peaches from the fridge. Her right eye had a fresh bruise on it that she didn't seem to mind if the subtle smirk on her face was anything to go by. "Hey Wulfie I didn't know you were home, Malachite and I were about to have a Cookie Cat. Mom just bought a box so there's enough if you want one too", He pulled open the freezer. Front and center was a bright colored cardboard box depicting a cat in a scifi spacesuit. Above the cat bold black text declared the contents of the box, "the purrrfect pet for your tummy". 

The redheaded teen was dressed in a pair of ripped jeans, that left her knees exposed, and a gray t-shirt. Her normally unkempt hair hung down to her chin brought close to order thanks to being soaked. A quick sniff of the air revealed the tell tale scent of tangerine shampoo; she had showered recently. Wulfenite tilted her head in silent acknowledgement when Steven said hello, mouth too full to respond. Persistent efforts on the part of the little boy in front of her were steadily stripping her of her nonverbal tendencies. "I'm all set with what I got", She responded after swallowing; her left hand held up the juicy fruit. "'Sides I remember your mom sayin somethin about not spoilin your appetite before dinner. That bein said what you do after I walk away ain't none of my concern", Giving him a playful wink she limped from the room. Something angry and unspoken passed between her and Malachite as she passed. 

Tension had existed between the two teenagers since the first day they met each other. Nobody every told Steven the full story; it was like they were trying to hide stuff from him. Pushing those thoughts to the side he reached into the bright box and pulled out two wrapped treats. After handing one to Malachite he eagerly tore off the package of his own. "Hello old friend", He breathed before taking a large bite of the ice cream sandwich. "I like to eat the ears first", He explained through a mouthful of frozen dairy goodness. Hesitantly Malachite unwrapped her own package and took a tentative bite from one of the ears. "Well", Steven asked thrumming with excitement, "What do you think, pretty great right?" 

"Yeah", Malachite couldn't keep the surprise and delight out of her voice when she replied. "These are fucking awesome", She took a second bite completely severing the previously nibbled ear. They ate in contented silence save for the smacking of lips and crunching of cookies. Steven suggested going into the living room to watch Wulfenite play video games but she declined. "Nah I got better things to do but umm thanks for the ice cream thing it was good."


	12. The Shakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wulfenite's first few days behind bars are not fun

Every inch of her body felt like it was being stabbed by thousands of tiny, itching, stingers. She had managed to scratch the flesh on her forearms bloody before someone noticed and restrained her hands. The cuffs didn't stop her from dragging her face against the rough brick wall until her cheeks were raw. Fed up with her hurting herself the guards decided that a trip to the medical wing was in order. Sweat plastered her stringy ginger hair uncomfortably to the side of her ashen face. Salt from her sweat burned the cuts on her face adding another layer to her discomfort. Her stomach rolled in protest as she jerked against the straps keeping her from tearing her flesh to pieces. In the three days since her arrest she hadn't been able to keep anything she ate down. "Fuck just put me outta my misery already", She groaned when the privacy curtain around her bed was pulled aside. "I just wanna die doc, c'mon it ain't like anyone's gonna miss me if you accidentally throw somethin in that needle of yours." Dehydration made her normally gravely voice little more than a hoarse whisper that was barely audible over the day to day sounds of the medical wing. 

"Enough of that Wulfenite", The doctor sighed as she pulled the curtain closed behind her. "Keep talking like that and I'll have no choice except ordering you to undergo psychiatric evaluation." She was a short, round woman, who needed a step stool to reach the second row of cupboards in the break room. Burgundy hair fell to the floor in shimmering waves when it wasn't tightly braided for work. Her state issued white coat was tight over her ample chest and stomach to the point that she never bothered buttoning it. Embroidered on the front in red thread, it was her favorite color, was the name Carnelian Maloney. In her fifteen years working for the Delmarva State corrections department she had seen more than her fair share of withdrawal. Any age group could be affected; she had treated patients as young as seven and as old as eighty. This was her second day treating Wulfenite though there was little she could do other than provide fluids and anti-nausea medication. To that effect she had started an IV line of electrolytes mixed with a mild pain reliever. Wulfenite flinched when the needle was inserted but her posture eased some when the medication started to work. After letting the drip run for a few seconds Carnelian added the anti-nausea medication. 

Withdrawal symptoms were far too common an occurrence for anyone working in a corrections facility. According to an article posted by The Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights half of all inmates meet the criteria for substance dependence. Between sixty-three and eighty-three percent of prisoners had drugs in their system at the time of their arrest. That combined with general overcrowding made prisons a tinderbox just looking for a match. In her five years working as a prison doctor Carnelian had detoxed more people than she'd like to admit. Some days she would think back to those first few patients and wonder how they were doing. Statistically speaking they were likely back to using again but she liked to hope a few stayed clean. She transferred down to the juvenile level because the stress of the job was getting to her. One year later and she was still dealing with detoxes even if it was on a smaller scale. Perhaps she was becoming jaded; burnout wasn't exactly unheard of in her line of work. One could only take so much of seeing your patients slowly becoming better and better criminals. 

"Threatenin me with a shrink ain't very neighborly of you doctor", Wulfenite snapped. Under normal circumstances she wouldn't dare speak to her elders like this lest she get her lip split. "Last I heard swearin the Hippocratic Oath meant you folks were promisin to help people. Shame they changed it up from the old Greek version though, it'd be nice seein you explain yourself to Apollo." A soft groan of relief slipped past her dry lips when the painkiller started working. She had always been particularly susceptible to opioids and these ones hit her like a ton of bricks. Tension melted from her muscles leaving her leaning bonelessly against the raised portion of the bed. Carnelian wiped some of the sweat from the preteen's face with a nearby cloth. Unfocused eyes watched her lazily for a few moments while trembling hands stilled. Things stayed quiet and calm for a few dozen heartbeats and the doctor finished wiping up. "That bein said doc you can't deny that no one would raise a fuss if a few of us criminals didn't wake up one day." Her voice took on an edge, " Y'all think I'm some kind of retard but I hear the way you talk, like we're some kind of disease. Like to see one of you mouthy fucks say that to my face", Snarling she jerked against her restraints. 

Heavy duty Velcro straps ensured that the preteen was unable to lash out at those around her. They crossed her thin chest in an X that kept her immobilized without the ability to hurt herself. A second X of straps crossed her legs at the knees removing the threat of kicking. Violent mood swings were one of the more common sights at the juvenile center so as a precaution all patients were strapped down before treatment. Carnelian barely batted an eye as she stepped out of Wulfenite's line of sight. Calm as can be she upped the sedative intake on the girl's IV until she was no longer struggling. Ideally she would have rather waited for the girl to calm down of her own volition. Unfortunately the world doesn't run on ideals and she had several more patients who needed her attention. "Cool your jets there tiger I can't make you feel better if you're thrashing around like that. According to my handy dandy chart food hasn't been your friend lately, hows about we fix that?" Without waiting for a reply Carnelian walked out to her medical cart and returned with a pack of shark crackers. Wulfenite accepted the hand fed snack without a peep of resistance or complaint. Unstrapping her would have been easier but it wasn't worth the risk of another outburst. 

"Hate feelin like this", Wulfenite slurred through a mouthful of shark shaped crackers. "Deaths gotta be better'n wakin up everyday an fightin with yerself to get outta bed. Better'n livin in a world where no one gives a fuck if yer alive or dead in an alley somewhere. Least if I was in an alley y'all wouldn't hafta waste yer time makin sure I got fed." Her head lolled to the side blue green eyes locking onto the doctor's brown ones, "Why you even botherin?." There was pain in that gaze, pain beyond the physical symptoms she was enduring. Carnelian made a mental note to check the girl's file for a history of mental illness. All this nihilism could just be stemming from the withdrawal but it was better to double check. As much as she'd love to suggest she was doing it out of the goodness of her heart it was more that she didn't want to deal with the paperwork. 

"It's my job to bother", Carnelian answered holding a cup of ice water to her patient's lips. "I'm not some bleeding heart justice warrior looking to make the world a better place. There isn't some greater good savior complex shit going through my mind while I work. This job doesn't mean shit to me; it's just a way for me to pay the bills. I collect my paycheck, buy some food, have a glass or two of wine, and feed my cat." She hadn't noticed how upset she'd become until she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Drowsy eyes still stared into her own impassively and without anything resembling empathy. Sighing once more she wiped away the crumbs that had gathered on the front of Wulfenite's shirt. Venting her workplace frustrations to her patients wouldn't make their treatments go any faster. Wulfenite managed to hold down a second package of crackers before drifting into a dozing sleep.


	13. Tricks and Treats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween adventure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Strudel: I swear I didn't forget about your suggestion I just couldn't figure out the right way to write it

Halloween was, without a doubt, Lapis' all time favorite day of the year and had been for as long as she could remember. The idea of literally stepping into the guise of another being for the night appealed to her at a deep emotional level. From the moment she was born Lapis was nothing more than a status symbol for her appearance obsessed parents. One of her earliest memories was her mother taking her to the side and explaining that everything she did was a reflection of them. She wasn't allowed to run around or play in the dirt because, "You don't want people thinking I'm a bad mommy do you? If people see dirt on your clothes they'll think your daddy and I don't take good care of you. Little girls who are dirty get taken away from their parents to go live with strangers; you don't want that do you?" Suffice it to say that threat was enough to keep the five year old compliant to her mother's whims. So she put up with having every aspect of her life carefully controlled; from the food she ate, to the clothes she wore, to what she studied in school. All that changed of course when she ran away from home; the desperate need for control relaxed, the love of Halloween didn't. 

She had started working on her costume towards the end of September, fueled by the fact that she could actually dress up this year. Two years behind bars meant that the closest thing she'd gotten to a costume was splatter from the chow line. At Steven's behest they were doing a group theme; he wanted them to dress up as their wrestling personas. Her art teacher, who went by the nickname Blue despite having a proper name, gave her excellent advice regarding the wings. Blue, in that whisper soft voice of her's, showed her how to mold plastic using a heat gun and layer the blue and clear sheets to give a watery effect. Lapis had no idea how the waif of a woman had such an eye for detail when her bangs covered most of her face but she wasn't complaining. The result was far better than the blue haired teen could have possibly hoped for. Compared to the wings the rest of her outfit was pretty simple: blue body paint, contacts that hid her pupil, flowing clothes, and her trademark smirk. Judging by the awed look on Amethyst's face when she put the whole thing on Lapis was confident she looked awesome.

Jasper disappeared from the group not long after they made it to their first stop, Funland Arcade. Ruby followed shortly after having spotted Sapphire in one of the lines for the fry stand. Lapis didn't have long to wait before a nasally voice called through the crowd, "Hey Lazuli over here!" She looked around trying to spot the shorter girl in the sea of costumed people. Glowing yellow lights waved in front of her face for a few seconds after Peridot spoke. The normally short blonde appeared to have grown almost eight inches since they got off the bus. Her arms and legs from the knee down were encased in polished silver with green accents. A yellow visor covered most of her face; her hands were wrapped in black gloves with glowing tubes on her fingers. Peridot's lips lifted in a confident smirk, "You're staring Lazuli, I take it you like what you see." It took Lapis' addled brain a few heartbeats to even register the two figures behind her. One was Garnet, vibrant and colorful with a mish mash of reds and blues and a third eye painted on her forehead. Next to her stood Pearl brandishing a prop spear and dressed in flowing robes. 

Before Lapis could formulate a response Steven pulled the three newcomers in a massive hug. "You guys look awesome", He shouted gleefully, "Oh man we're gonna get so much candy now. If we hurry we can make it to Mayor Dewey's house before he runs out of full sized Marshmallow Maulers." Grinning from ear to ear he grabbed Amethyst's large hand to lead the group on an adventure through Beach City. As the six of them traveled from house to house Lapis found herself drifting closer to Peridot. Even when they were rejoined by Jasper towards the end of the evening her eyes never strayed. She had to admit she found the little nerd cute after taking the time to get to know her. Anyone with functioning eyes could tell Peridot was growing smitten with Lapis as well. More importantly she felt like Peridot liked her for who she was not just how much damage she could do.

Once Steven was safely deposited back home and the group returned to the barn Jasper revealed why she vanished. Malachite was also there lounging on Wulfenite's bed like a satisfied house cat. "Got me some primo booze off that douche Kevin", She proudly declared fishing a bottle out of the pillowcase she brought to carry candy. "Figured we could show these nerds how to really party, that is if they think they can handle it." Amethyst's resounding cheer was loud enough to drown out Pearl's moment of protest. "Awesome go grab us some sodas runt and crank up the tunes on your way out." Without waiting for any sort of mixer Jasper took a long pull directly from the bottle. Swallowing with a grimace she turned her unnaturally bright eyes to Lapis, "How 'bout it Lazuli? It'll be just like the good old days", Although there was a smile on her face her words dripped venom. 

"Fuck you Jasper", Lapis hissed even as she snatched the bottle out of her former lover's hand. The vodka went down like glass and burned like battery acid' Lapis took another gulp. By the time she swallowed a second time Amethyst had returned bearing a two liter sized bottle of Coke. Soda was drained from the bottle until enough was gone that they could add the alcohol to it. Malachite disappeared as things started getting more and more rowdy; Lapis didn't really care. Amethyst had a shockingly good playlist on her phone that got the whole barn moving. The spiked Coke bottle made its way around the room a few times before being emptied. Blue eyes searched briefly until they found a tangle of blonde hair near the door. Peridot seemed to be struggling with something on her costume and was grumbling to herself. Ever the curious thing Lapis sidled up to the frustrated teen and slid an arm around her shoulders, "Sup nerd?" 

"Gah I can't get these cloddy things off", Peridot lifted her leg and gestured downward. The weird metal casing was open showing her actual leg strapped to a short stilt. A part of the strap was caught in the casing's hinges throwing the whole thing off balance. "Ugh I'm so stupid I knew I should have made them with Velcro even if it did look bad." Each word was accompanied by a frustrated gesture that all but melted Lapis' alcohol softened heart. Figuring it would take longer to explain the situation than fix it Lapis reached over to unhook the caught strap. All at once the stilt fell away leaving Peridot leaning heavily against her to keep from falling. "Shit Lazuli a little warning next time", She squeaked gripping the other girl's bare shoulders. Eventually she managed to successfully free herself from the confines of her costume. Lapis carefully removed her own props and placed them safely out of the way. 

Through the haze of drink Lapis found herself being led to the closest bunk bed, Wulfenite's. Giggling she purposely sagged against Peridot making the two of them fall on the mattress. They collapsed in a heap of tangled limbs each laughing so hard they were gasping. Lapis rolled some so she was laying with her head resting on Peridot's shoulder. Nearby Jasper was having a loud argument with Pearl over something the bluenette couldn't give a fuck about. Her first instinct was to punch Jasper until she shut the fuck up, in the sheets her hand made a fist. "Fuck Peri I'm sorry", She groaned rolling completely off the other girl. "You're super cute but I'm a shitty person; Jasper and I used to beat the shit out of each other for fun. We spent months locked in this stupid contest to see who was the strongest. Used to be I couldn't go more than a few hours without trying to shove her face through the bars. I was so bad to her", She trailed off rolling some so she was looking at the wall. 

Peridot didn't say anything for a while wanting to make sure everything was articulated properly. "Being a bad person at one point in your life doesn't mean you're going to stay that way. Everything on this planet changes, that's why Earth is such an amazing place. I think you're pretty great", The rest of the words died in her throat as the barn door opened. Wulfenite stood there for a few seconds before rushing away like she'd seen a ghost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you waiting for Snowflakes and Cherry Blossoms I've been having hellish writer's block I'm sorry


	14. Wulfenite isn't a Mind Reader

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shortly after joining the Universe-Quartz household she meets Steven's best friend

Eyes that shifted from green to blue in the bright morning sunlight stared down at Connie like the girl had appeared out of thin air. Faded jeans hung off of a painfully thin frame; a quick glance downward revealed them to be unzipped. That combined with her evident grogginess and rumpled shirt suggested the teen hadn't been awake long. Stringy ginger hair stuck up in every direction despite the sizable amount of grease coating it. Four dark circular bruises, roughly in the shape of fingers, dotted her jaw line on one side. A twitching hand pushed matted bangs away from her eyes to get a better look at the girl in front of her. "Uhh Steven ain't here yet, he went someplace with his mom a little while ago. You might as well come in I ain't sure where they went or when they're gonna get back. Or you can wait out here; don't care much either way", Shrugging her slightly hunched shoulders the red haired teen limped further into the house.

Perplexed, and more than a little nervous about following a stranger, Connie pulled out her phone to text Steven. _I'm at your house and some tall girl with red hair answered the door, is she staying with you?_ Her sneaker tapped on the worn wood of the wrap around porch while she waited for his reply. Connie was a girl who thrived in a structured environment, this stranger had thrown a proverbial wrench in her plans. Her overactive mind was racing with possibilities ranging from the plausible to things that were completely nonsensical. What if this girl was part of some weird cult and they were holding Steven's family hostage? When her phone beeped signaling Steven's reply she read the response frantically. _Shoot I forgot we were supposed to hang out this morning I'm really sorry. Yeah Wulfenite and a few other people are going to be staying with us for a while, something mom set up. We should be back in like an hour if you want to hang out I'm sure Wulfenite won't mind keeping you company._ Still feeling apprehensive Connie followed his advice and entered the house. 

Steven's living room looked the same as it always did with the exception of the scrawny teen spread across the couch. On the television screen a first person perspective character was driving a chainsaw through the torso of a howling woman. Upon noticing that she was no longer alone Wulfenite sat up, "Was wonderin if you were gonna come in. Just got a text from Stee-man sayin I'm supposed to be a gentleman or some shit while you're here." She laughed at that, a dry wheezing thing that sounded like it hadn't been used for a long time. The noise set Connie's teeth on edge and she once again considered the merits of waiting on the porch. Wulfenite seemed to notice the reaction because her expression softened slightly, "Hey you okay? I ain't gonna hurt you or nothin man", Her voice held a slight edge of panic to it. Contrary to what rumors may have been circulating she wasn't in the business of scaring little kids. Especially not ones that Steven considered his best friend, that was a level of asshole that was even beyond Malachite. Figuring the younger girl would relax if given some space Wulfenite padded in the direction of the kitchen. "Make yourself comfortable I guess, if you need me I'll be makin coffee, you want somethin to drink?" 

"No ma'am thank you", Connie spluttered out manners kicking in automatically even as her mind raced. In the span of a few minutes this stranger had already broken so many of her mother's rules. If Doctor Maheshwaran found out that her daughter was exposed to swear words at Steven's house she'd probably never let the two of them hang out again. Wulfenite raised an eyebrow at the title but otherwise shrugged and continued to the kitchen. Left alone Connie debated with herself whether she should follow her defacto hostess or if she should sit down. Whatever game Wulfenite had been playing was still paused on the T.V, surely that meant she planned on resuming when she returned. Asking her to turn it off would be rude; something Connie's parents deeply disapproved of. Unsure of what to do she stood awkwardly in the entryway until Wulfenite returned with a steaming mug of coffee. Only when the older girl returned to her place on the couch did Connie take her own seat. 

"I got another controller if you wanna join in", Wulfenite offered gesturing to the second controller with her cup. "This is the level boss right here but the next area is a real pain in the dick if you know what I mean." Noticing Connie's reluctance to pick up the controller she shrugged, "It's cool if you don't wanna play. Hell we can watch somethin on T.V if you want you're the guest and all that shit", She shrugged again clearly not sure what she was doing. Playing hostess was more of Amethyst's thing than her's since the girl was a natural people person. In an attempt to hide her social ineptitude she took another long drink of her coffee. When Connie failed to give an answer Wulfenite went back to her game with another shrug. Connie was clearly unhappy with something but wasn't saying what it was and Wulfie wasn't a mind reader. 

"We're home", Steven cheered happily an hour later when he and his parents walked through the door. His thousand watt smile immediately fell when he saw what was on the T.V, "No Wulfie what are you doing? Connie's parents don't let her watch anything above PG-13; if they saw this she'd get in a ton of trouble. Her mom is crazy strict and would probably make it so she isn't allowed over anymore. I'm so sorry Connie I swear I told her to treat you all polite and stuff please don't be upset." During his distressed monologue Wulfenite saved her game and shut down the console. It felt like everyone was staring at her like she fucked everything up on purpose.

Those accusing eyes immediately made Wulfenite feel like she was on the defensive. Switching the T.V back over to cable she met Steven's gaze with her own heated one. "Lemme ask you somethin Stee-man", She started in a low tone, "Don't you reckon you shoulda mentioned that in your text? See I ain't no mind reader and your little friend here weren't exactly forthcomin with information. All she had to do was say somethin and I woulda shut it off no questions asked. So next time hows about not crawlin up my ass about shit I had no way of knowin?" She knew swearing in front of Steven was a massive faux pass but she was too pissed off to care. Rose at least had the courtesy of taking her into another room before verbally laying into her. In the end she was sentenced to a week of dishes and no video-game privileges .


	15. A New Cook has Entered the Kitchen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Instant animosity between strong personalities is one way to turn up the heat

Malachite could feel those maddening green eyes on her, could practically smell the other girl's distrust. Animosity rolled off of Red in waves and it was safe to say that the feeling was mutual. Never before had Malachite felt such instant dislike for another human being. She wondered if this was what those weird fighting fish felt like if they were put in the same tank. Her contempt was further amplified when she noticed how closely Red liked to remain with Lazuli. It appeared that the blue haired temptress had managed to lure in another fool to be her bodyguard. In the end it really didn't matter; she was going to avenge Jasper either way so what was one more person? Hell letting Jasper deal with the spare might be just what she needed to pull herself out of her funk. Yes there was definitely a lot of potential fun to be had in this situation so long as the others didn't get in her way. 

True to her overbearing nature it was Wulfenite who threw the first punch three hours after their initial meeting. Conflict between the two of them would likely have occurred sooner had that infernal pink haired woman not insisted on parading them around the property. For now though they were alone, the woman was off getting her husband and kid. They had been in the kitchen, Wulfenite making coffee and Malachite hunting around for a snack. Part of her hip brushed the twitchy redhead while she was reaching for a coffee mug. The mug hit the tiled floor with a crash and Wulfenite's fist connected with Malachite's ribs. "Hands off you fuckin dyke or next time I break em", Wulfenite growled in her gravely tones. Underneath the malice though was something more, an edge of fear hidden behind carefully calculated bravado. Not necessarily a fear of Malachite but a definite aversion towards physical contact and what it could lead to. If such a light brush was enough to get that strong of a reaction Malachite couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she put some intent behind her touch.

Breaking her fellow inmates was something Malachite had taken great pleasure in during her stint behind bars. Nothing could compare with that rush you get when someone realizes they can't fight back. Destruction and Domination became physical needs equally as real as breathing or eating. These feelings flew in the face of everything she was raised to believe; something inside her tore. It almost felt like her mind was splitting in half with both sides in a constant battle for control. At first she tried resisting the siren call of violence but quickly realized the futility of it. If she had to suffer every day feeling like existance was a suffocating tomb why not spread the misery? In the end she embraced her inner monster and together they became one being, still trapped but getting closer to freedom. 

Malachite responded to the blow with a punch of her own to Wulfenite's unprotected stomach. Reflex made her victim double over from the impact an action she took advantage of by grabbing the back of her head. Making use of her new found handle she drove Wulfenite's face into her raised knee as hard as she could. A rush of giddiness filled her when she saw a steady red trickle flowing from Wulfenite's nose. Sporting a sadistic grin she pulled the other girl close so she could rub her face in the blood. "Looks to me like there ain't much you can do to stop me", She hissed in the other girl's ear. "I was gonna let Jasper have ya but I'll be damned if you don't look good all bruised up like that." Rather than responding with words Wulfenite twisted in Malachite's grip to hook her arm around her attacker's. Using Malachite's elbow as a leverage point Wulfenite managed to yank herself free with only minimal hair being left behind. The fight would have continued to escalate had Steven not chose that moment to enter through the back door. 

Both girls sprang away from each other faster than a horny couple getting walked in on by their parents. As much as they may have hated each other neither of them wanted to go back to a cell. The contract everyone was made to sign stated very clearly that violence would not be tolerated. A point that was restated during the group's introduction to their new home. Neither was particularly good at feigning innocence especially when they were still breathing hard from the scuffle. Blood was starting to dribble down Wulfenite's neck in an itchy line that she wanted desperately to scratch. Evidently they weren't fast enough to avoid Steven's notice because his cheerful greeting died. Brown eyes zeroed in on the crimson dribbling from Wulfenite's nose, "Uh is everything okay? Mom's a nurse she could help you with your nose; do you want me to go get her?" 

"Naw buddy don't you worry about it, was only a sneeze that musta knocked something loose, no need ta trouble yer mom. Wouldn't be opposed to you helpin me find some paper towels so's I can clean up the mess." Wulfenite's voice was thick with the blood that was flowing down the back of her throat. Saying fuck it to being polite she took a long inhale and spat a glob of red into the sink. It hit the metal lining with a solid thunk that echoed in the tension filled silence. Splotched fingers tightly gripped the bridge of her nose as she tilted her head skyward. Lying to Steven wasn't something she enjoyed doing since he had been so kind when she first arrived. The other three had hung back when the cops dragged her cuffed ass out of the car but not Steven. Little dude gave her some of his ice cream and told her he was happy to make her acquaintance. Her eyes met Malachite's in an unspoken understanding that this was far from over.


	16. Sanctuary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whenever things get to be too much Amethyst seeks comfort in a familiar place

“No Amethyst, how many times must I explain to you, your father and I do not have the dinheiro to waste on silly things like that? Why can’t you do something useful with your free time, something that will benefit the family, like picking up a paper route? You are quatorze years old; when I was your age I was right there alongside my papai helping him sift through the river for scrap metal. Seeing you laying on the couch all day making idiota doodles while your brothers and sisters run around like savages breaks my heart.” The older woman clutched her ample chest for empasis as she spoke prompting an eye roll from the teenager in front of her. Even a momentary glance was enough for an observer to note the neumorous resemblances between the two of them. They both had light brown skin and long blondish brown hair; the older wore her’s in a high bun while the younger was content to let it hang wild around her. Two sets of chocolate brown eyes were both narrowed in anger and plump lips were set in stubborn grimaces that were only distinguishable by one pair’s sparkling gloss.

“Not this again mamãe”, Amethyst snapped angrily, “You guys are already making me come into school early to work in the cafeteria and I do yard work for the neighbors on the weekends. Then on top of that I gotta watch the little terrors so they don’t wreck the joint until you or Auntie Louisa get back. Teachers are breathing down my neck because I’m not getting my homework done because I’m too tired to finish it by the time you get home. I had to quit dance because we couldn’t afford the costumes they wanted us to wear and you were too proud to accept the coach’s offer to pay for it. You and dad take everything I make”, Calloused brown hands pressed into thick hips in a stance of frustrated defiance. “How is it the two of you had enough to get Jay brand new shoes and take auntie out to dinner but you can’t spare twenty dollars that I earned for some new pencils? Just because you got forced to do bullshit labor by your dad when you were my age doesn’t mean I should have to do it too.”

A wrinkled hand flew through the air, far faster than one would think given the woman’s advanced age, to strike Amethyst’s cheek with a resounding crack. Red painted nails scraped against the supple flesh of her daughter’s cheek leaving behind a line of angry red welts. Tears gathered on the surface of the teen girl’s eyes held in place by a combination of straining water tension and willpower. Amethyst refused to cry in front of her family; it wasn’t worth giving them more ammo to guilt trip her into doing whatever they wanted. “How dare you be so ungrateful”, Mrs. Torres hissed through gritted teeth, “After everything your father and I risked for you. We have worked our dedos to the bone to give you children the life you have here, a life that I would have given just about anything for when I was young. Mãe Maria grant me the strength to love someone so ungrateful for I cannot do it on my own”, She folded her hands in piety in front of her chest.

Rather than waiting around to be further chastized Amethyst turned sharply on the well worn heel of her canvas sneakers and stalked out the door. “If you’re going to leave don’t bother coming home tonight, perhaps some time in the cold will make you appreciate what you have. Domingo the two of us will be having a meeting with Father Bruto about your behavior”, Amethyst slammed the door cutting her mother off mid sentence. Only when she knew she was out of sight from the streetlight’s harsh illumination did she allow herself to pick up speed. This was far from the first time that an argument with one or both of her parents had caused her to leave the house with skin that stung when air hit it. Muscle memory carried her down the cracked pavement of streets whose names she didn’t know despite traveling them frequently enough to consider them almost friends. Bear left at the stop sign so covered in grafitti that it was illegible, make a sharp right turn at the four-way intersection littered with crosses to honor those killed by reckless drivers. Keep running past that cemetery that some sick city planner decided should be built next to an elementary school and across from an old folk’s home. Gradually the slope of the terrain increased until Amethyst was forced to slow her pace from a run to a panting walk. By the time the barbed wire fence came into view her legs were shaking and she was breathing in wheezing pants. 

To most the dump’s foul odor was enough of a deterrent to make the tall fence seem redundant but Amethyst was not most people. Strong smells, whether good or bad, only served to entice her into seeking out their source no matter what they were. On one particularly memorable adventure at their old apartment complex an eight year old Amethyst’s keen nose had led her to an abandoned burrito. Said burrito was from a restaraunt that had closed five years prior to its discovery in an unsecured gym locker. Delighted by her find she decided to bring the olfactory treasure home to show her father unfortunately the foil wrapper disintegrated as soon as she picked it up. The resulting film of funk was so overpowering that her parents were forced to throw away the outfit she was wearing. Not even three trips through the washer on its most powerful setting was enough to dampen the odor to a tolerable level.

After a short rest, enough time to get her breathing back under control, Amethyst started creeping along the edge of the dump’s chain link fence. Nine times out of ten the lazy fucker the city paid to guard the place at night was too busy getting drunk in his patrol shack to bother watching for intruders. Contrary to her normally impulsive nature the teen crept cautiously towards where she knew there was a gap in the fence big enough for her to fit. Once inside she released a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding letting the air remove some of the stress left over from home. Piles of garbage loomed over her on either side of the truck path she was standing on; rather than feeling trapped the walls made her feel safe. Here her mother’s harsh words and her father’s bruising hands couldn’t get her; she could do whatever she wanted without anyone stopping her.

“Hello old friend”, Amethyst greeted the familiar pile of broken furniture that kept her sanctuary hidden from the dump staff. Careful maneuvering of a half crushed futon created a hole that she could wiggle through to reach the center of the pile. This was her hole, her shelter from the world and its many cruelties; it protected her from people and nature alike. Old polyester skins taken from cheap chairs were woven through the top of the pile to keep everything mostly protected from the frequent rains. Tattered blankets that she had dragged inside during her initial modifications ensured she was insulated from the cold. Sighing contentedly she burrowed deep into the pile’s center; in the morning she would be forced to deal with the consequences of her outburst but for the time being all was well.


	17. My Legacy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Daniel Higgins wants is to leave his mark on the world

“I understand your desire to have hands on role in the selection process Mrs. Universe but wouldn’t it be best to let the board decide the best candidates? Collectively they represent years of experience handling cases like these. I can assure you that we will take everyone’s history into consideration before making any decisions.” Daniel Higgins adjusted the wire framed glasses perched at the end of his nose moving them first from side to side and then pushing them up his bridge. His thinning brown hair was immaculately groomed in a way that greatly reduced the visibility of his growing bald spot. To the older man, appearance was everything which was why he was still in a crisp black suit despite his office’s business casual dress code. At five foot four he was quite a bit shorter than most of his colleagues both male and female. It was a fact that always kept him motivated to work harder than those around him rising through the ranks. Some would state that his ambition far outweighed his desire to help those put under his charge but they couldn’t argue that he got results. Rumors followed between offices that he was a manipulative cutthroat who would throw his own mother into traffic to advance his career. 

The Change Through Growth program was his baby, something that he had been wanting to try for years. Dozens of studies on corrections facilities around the world showed time and time again that the best way to prevent repeat offenders was to integrate them back into society. If a prisoner felt they had options after being released they were far less likely to return to criminal activity. Months of proposals, bargaining, campaigning, and research were finally coming to a head. All that was left was to select the six lucky teens who would be participating. For its initial run Daniel decided that a group of female inmates would be for the best. Mrs. Quartz had a young son after all and incarcerated males tended to be rather rowdy. Mixing genders was absolutely out of the question, there would be sexual assault charges within the hour. No a group of girls whose criminal history consisted of soft offenses would be best. To that end he and a few others had compiled a list of 100 hopefuls. Sprinkled among the likely participants were girls who were eligible but whose records were such that they were unlikely to pass muster. Doing this served two purposes; it made it appear that he was being unbiased and it made his picks look better by comparison. Everything had been progressing nicely until Rose Quartz-Universe decided that she wanted a direct say in who got picked.

Her interference turned the breakneck pace of progress he had been enjoying into a laborious crawl of interview after interview. Mrs. Universe had a day job that had so far made it so she could only meet candidates after four in the evening or on the weekends. Getting through the stack of folders was a slough that conjured images of Sisyphus endlessly working his way up the mountain. While he couldn’t begrudge the woman for having a job her restricted hours were turning a month long process into an ordeal that had already lasted two months and change. This meeting was his third attempt at gently persuading her to take a step back and let him handle it. The fact that she had already rejected two candidates that he had considered the most promising in favor of hopeless ethnic trash still grated on his ego. It was like she didn’t care that a successful trial run here in Delmarva could lead to nationwide implementation. This was going to be his legacy, his mark on the world that would live on long after he left this mortal coil. They needed to cherry pick girls who would succeed not wastes of space like Ruby Gomez and Amethyst Torres. 

“I respect the committee’s wisdom Daniel but I at least want to meet with these girls before just letting them into my home. Their wellbeing will be in my hands and I need to know that I can trust them with my family. You’ve said over and over how much of an opportunity this program will provide”, Rose reached out to put her hand on the stack of files in front of her. Of the initial one hundred and twenty files presented she was down to forty five girls she needed to speak to. Three cases already stood out to her enough that she chose them: Lapis Lazuli, Ruby Gomez, and Amethyst Torres. Some of the others were already so close to being released that including them seemed like wasted potential. Higgins’ insistence of rushing through the selection process was puzzling to the nurse whose extensive volunteering had gotten her chosen as a host. “I want to make sure the girls getting this chance are the ones who will benefit most from it if that makes any sense. School is out for the summer so we can get more interviews done during the week; I know that was one of your concerns. Besides”, she chuckled lightly, “Greg needed time to get their room set up; we wouldn’t want them sleeping on the floor would we?” While the barn appeared to be structurally sound inspectors had found significant termite damage in support beams. One thing lead to another and soon they were putting in new insulation, redoing the floors, and replacing bits of the roof. 

Privately Daniel Higgins could not care less where the girls slept as long as they were under a mostly intact roof. Some of the filth currently using up tax payer resources had lived in places far worse than a renovated barn. Considering the opportunity they were being given these delinquents should be grateful they were getting anything at all. All he wanted was for Mrs. Universe to hurry up and sign off on six bodies so he could present something to the board at the quarterly meeting. To Rose though he simply nodded and picked up the next folder in the stack, “Of course Mrs. Universe of course. Forgive me I’m just so excited to see how everything will work out”, Brown eyes scanned the name at the top of the file. Wulfenite Everburn: convicted of possession of narcotics, possession with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a firearm, assault, and truancy. Further assault charges were added post incarceration as a result of her constant violence towards both inmates and guards. Normally this type of rap sheet would be quietly tucked away while Rose was distracted to avoid wasting time on an obvious rejection. Surely no responsible parent would want a drug dealer prone to violent fits anywhere near their child. Perhaps some alone time with a genuine offender would be just the thing needed to get Rose to leave things to the professionals.


	18. Big

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steven reflects on how his age effects the way he is perceived

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one week hot damn! Also Steven is too good for this world

There were days when Steven really disliked being a kid, even going so far as to wish on stars for him to suddenly grow up like John Banks in that movie Tall. He wanted to be big enough to help his dad run the car wash and reach the very tops of cars so his dad didn’t have to reach so far. Grown-ups didn’t have to worry about making it home before Mr. Smiley turned on all the lights at Funland Amusement Park. They weren’t required to be washed up and ready for bed before eight at night; from what he saw no one made them take a bath at all. Okay maybe that wasn’t completely true considering his mom’s repeated warning that she was going to sink wash Wulfenite. The girls who lived in the barn didn’t even have a bedtime that he could tell and that wasn’t fair at all. Why was he whisked away like Cinderella when Wulfenite and Amethyst could play videogames all night? Sometimes he would get out of bed, to use the bathroom, before the sun was up and see Jasper and Lapis whispering to each other. Whatever they were talking about must have been super-secret because they’d stop speaking if he made even a little noise. He tried asking Jasper about it once earning him a stern, “shut the fuck up kid don’t you know snitches get stitches?”

Other times he wished he was older so people would stop treating him like he was too dumb to understand what was going on. Like when Amethyst tried to convince him there was a foot monster outside that he could only beat by shoving his face into his cereal. Or like the time Jasper lied about going through the stuff in his bedroom saying it must have been ghosts. The thing that upset him most though was when people pretended that they were okay when they weren’t and thought he wouldn’t notice. Lapis did that a lot even when he knew she had been crying she’d say her face was wet from swimming. It was like she didn’t expect him to notice that her hair was still dry and had grass in it from when they were playing earlier. Wulfenite did it too maybe even more than Lapis; he wasn’t nearly naive enough to think she bruised her face in a fall. Not when he heard her and Jasper outside yelling at each other right before she came in the house. He found it frankly insulting that they expected him to blindly go along with their transparent excuses.

Even his dad, the person he trusted the most in the whole wide world, wasn’t telling the whole truth when he asked questions. Steven knew people were mad at his mom for something that had to do with the six people who lived with them now. He didn’t understand why dad wouldn’t explain it to him, “it’s just boring grown-up politics Stuball. Some of the people around here don’t like that your mom invited company over without talking to them. Give it a week and it’ll be like nothing ever happened”, Steven would have been comforted if it weren’t for the fact that Greg put his arm behind his head like he did when he was embarrassed. Peedee Fryman, a boy just a little older than Steven, told him that the people living with him were criminals. This was later confirmed by Steven himself when all of his new housemates were escorted by police officers. When he confronted his dad with this new information the bigger man responded with some excuse about not wanting to scare him. He was old enough to know not to judge people until getting to know them so in his eyes he was lied to for no reason. If anything he would have been less afraid if he was warned about the police coming ahead of time instead of waking up to it.

When he got a little older he would look back and find it strangely ironic that the only one who answered his questions honestly was Malachite. One of the first times he saw her in a short sleeved shirt he asked her about the scars that crisscrossed her arms. “Asshole parents used ta chain me up in the basement a lot as a kid, some of these are from that. I got more on my chest”, at his look of horror she released a hoarse chuckle, and “yeah my folks were kind of dicks.” He opened his mouth to tell her she said a bad word but somehow that didn’t seem important compared to what she was telling him. Parents were supposed to protect and love their kids, that was what his mom taught him, not chain them up. “The bigger ones I did myself because I was bored; felt really good at the time but I don’t think I cleaned ‘em right. They ain’t supposed to puff up like that when they’re fully healed not unless they get infected or something. Don’t tell yer mom though she and that fuckwad Higgins’ll probably make me go to a shrink or somethin.” Then she went right back to watching the clouds roll across the sky as if their conversation was perfectly ordinary.

Finding the right way to respond after that kind of confession proved difficult for the normally chatty little boy. When he found the older girl lounging in an empty pasture he wasn’t expecting this kind of frankness, “you don’t do it anymore right? Hurting yourself I mean”, she turned again so she was looking at Steven instead of the shifting clouds. “I can’t change all the bad stuff that happened to you before; I don’t have some kind of time controlling hourglass. You’re my friend now though; all of you guys are, so I don’t want you to be sad or bleeding or anything. Next time you get bored come find me and we can play Lonely Blade together I’ll even teach you the secret combos. Or if mom and dad say it’s okay we can walk to the beach and build an awesome sand castle. My cheeseburger backpack is big enough that we could pack enough stuff for a picnic and spend the whole day there.” On impulse he bent down to kiss the worst of her scars just like his mom would do when he got hurt. He wasn’t sure if magic kisses still worked when the injury was already healed but he knew he needed to try.

If the tears collecting in the corners of Malachite’s acid green eyes were any indication the kisses still had magic in them. Wiry hands quickly scrubbed the moisture away lest its presence make her look like she was getting soft. “I’ll think about it if I ain’t busy doing anythin more interesting than sitting around with some kid.” To an outsider her words would have sounded dismissive however after living together a few weeks Steven knew better. If she really didn’t like his idea she would have told him so using all kinds of words he wasn’t allowed to repeat. His hypothesis was further confirmed when she reached out and tentatively put an arm around his middle. The hug was loose and more than a little awkward for both involved, still neither of them was in a hurry to pull away. Skin on skin contact was a foreign concept to the older of the two though she was surprised to find it enjoyable. The fact that Steven was about as threatening as a giant marshmallow made it easy for her to relax around him. They stayed like that for about half a minute before Malachite pulled away, “come on enough sappy shit kid. So long as you keep yer mouth shut I’ll find another way to occupy my time; deal?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always if you have a request let me know


	19. Dreams in Shades of Amber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wulfenite just went looking for chicken nuggets but found something far more appealing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead! I know I haven't posted anything in here for a while, just been having some trouble finding motivation

There it sat, temptation incarnate, neatly nestled in the freezer next to the box of chicken nuggets she desired. Golden amber liquid shined in the artificial brightness the tiny light bulb created. Wulfenite knew from experience the power this elixir could afford her if she dared to imbibe it. Was the triumphant feeling of euphoria produced by the amber liquid worth the potential pain of her father's fist if he found out? More importantly would she even feel the blows under the numbing effects of the potent whiskey? Small sips of it had been enough to keep her under control when her pain meds had been traded for a new car stereo. No one would ever know she was tempted if she simply continued with her original plan of making herself something to eat. _He would know, she decided; whether she drank or not he would know she had been eyeing his things and punish her regardless. In the Everburn household thoughts of disobedience were met with swift retribution by the master's fists. No matter how much, or how little, she took she would feel the same pain so why not enjoy the rush while she could?_

"A viking does not ask permission", Wulfenite wrapped her long fingers around the neck of the bottle. "He takes as much as his arms will hold and fells all who dare get in his way", her left hand twisted off the plastic cap. Her mind made up she placed the freezing glass to her lips and took a large mouthful of the prized drink. Fire worthy of Helheim itself raced down her through to settle like a smoldering ember in her belly. Immediately she began to cough splattering the cheap vinyl counter top with what was left in her mouth. Just like the first sip she had ever taken the gulp left her feeling dazed and faintly ill. _Dad likes it though and he wants me to be like him, he won't love me if he thinks I'm too weak to be what he wants. Mom is weak; I hear her sobbing begging to be let go if she were strong she wouldn't need to beg._ Soldiering on she took another drink, smaller than the first, before tightening the cap and putting the bottle back. She briefly entertained the notion of adding tap water into the bottle to replace what was missing but decided against it. Watering things down would be even more suspicious than not doing anything. 

No longer hungry she abandoned the idea of dinner in favor of laying on the couch. Mom wasn't home when she got back from school and her dad was off doing whatever he did during the day. Used to be she beg him for details about his adventures until he either told her or sent her away. Not anymore though; not since that night in the truck where her desire to please lead only to more pain. Her cast had been off for almost a month and for the most part everything was back to normal. Rain made her healed limbs ache no matter how many times her father said the pain was in her head. Recent memories were too difficult to think about when a soft buzzing was drifting through her thoughts. Anxious for a distraction she flipped on the T.V letting the soothing voice of a British naturalist fill the empty room. The uncomfortable burn in her abdomen was fading to a pleasing warmth that soothed her aching limbs and quieted her over active mind. Truly alcohol's greatest magic was its ability to make her brain shut the fuck up for once. It didn't take long for the alcohol in her system to lull her into a light doze. 

Pungent smoke filled her nose burning slightly; her father must be home from work, either that or the house was on fire. Not that she minded the idea of burning alive since it would get her out of Mr. Myers' bullshit spelling tests. "Off my spot", the order was barked shortly before Wulfenite felt her world turning sideways. Muscle memory had her throwing her arms out to brace for the short trip from furniture to carpet. This was far from the first time her father had decided it would be funny to tip her out of her seat. Booming laughter filled the air, "You're getting better at that kid; get me a beer and I'll order some pizza." Good moods were a rare thing for her father to experience and Wulfenite wasn't about to waste one. Slowly she got to her feet; the whiskey she stole sat like a rock in her stomach making her feel heavy and slow. Squinting against the brightness of the T.V she carefully made the short trip to the fridge and back. Through the closed freezer door the whiskey bottle seemed to taunt her promising to make her feel better if she drank more. If anything out of the ordinary was noticed Fredrick didn't comment on it he just took his offered beer and grabbed the house phone. 

Dinner with her father was surprisingly pleasant when he was high off his ass and she was too drunk to be scared. The giant of a man enthusiastically shoveled lo mien noodles into his mouth like he hadn't eaten in weeks. His pupils were dilated by whatever poison was willingly enjoying and he giggled every time a piece of food got stuck in his beard. Wulfenite choked down her food with far less enthusiasm; she wasn't very hungry but didn't want to do anything to upset her dad. Eventually though she couldn't keep it in anymore and had to run to the apartment's tiny bathroom. MSG flavored vomit splattered the stained porcelain toilet like a Jackson Pollock painting. She heaved until she was empty all the while listening to her dad ask if she wanted the rest of her food. Knees shaking she made her way to bed wishing she had more to drink so she could once again sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always guys if you have anything you'd like to see or anything from the main fic you'd like elaborated on feel free to drop it in the comments


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